About Amy Burton, Soprano

With a voice the New York Times has called, “luminous” and “lustrous,” versatile soprano Amy Burton has sung with the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, at the White House, and with major opera companies, orchestras, and at concert and cabaret venues throughout the US, Europe, UK, Japan, Mexico, and Israel. Known for her crystalline portrayals of Mozart heroines as well as French repertoire ranging from opera to chansons populaires, Ms. Burton performs throughout the USA and abroad in recital and cabaret concerts with her husband, composer-pianist John Musto. The couple have toured the US and Mexico with "Late Night with Leonard Bernstein" narrated by the composer's daughter Jamie, with acclaimed pianist Michael Boriskin.

Ms. Burton has premiered and recorded several of Musto’s song cycles and has been a champion of contemporary composers such as Paul Moravec, John Corigliano, William Bolcom, Richard Danielpour, John Harbison, and others. Notable concert appearances include her New York recital debut at 92Y, Great Performances at Lincoln Center, Mostly Mozart Festival, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, PS21, The Kennedy Center, Atelier Lardeur in Paris, the Liceu Forum in Barcelona, the Neue Galerie’s Café Sabarsky, and the modern-day premiere of Cole Porter's 1929 show, La Revue des Ambassadeurs at Town Hall with Vince Giordano and the Night Hawks and in Paris with L’orchestre de Pasdeloup.

She has recorded for Bridge, Naxos, Harbinger, Albany, Angel/EMI, Opera America, Soundmirror, and CRI, and won major prizes from the Gerda Lissner, George London, Sullivan Foundations, and the Marian Anderson International Vocal Competition. In addition to her 17 years on the Metropolitan Opera's roster, Ms. Burton was also a leading soprano at New York City Opera, where she received the Christopher Keene Award, the Kolosvar Award, and the Diva Award. During her time at NYCO, she sang both Susanna and the Countess in Le nozze di Figaro, Pamina in Die Zauberflöte, Micaëla in Carmen, Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, The Governess in Turn of the Screw, La Folie in Mark Morris’ production of Platée, and the Handel heroines in Xerxes, Ariodante, and Orlando. At the Glimmerglass Festival, she sang Alice Ford in Falstaff, Donna Elvira, and Elle in La voix humaine. Her work on behalf of Glimmerglass Opera, its young artists, and the town of Cooperstown led to Opera America awarding her their first ever Artist Advocate Award.

A sought-after teacher, Ms. Burton is on the voice faculties at The Juilliard School, Mannes School of Music, the CUNY Graduate Center (DMA program), SongFest, a summer festival at Pomona College, Chautauqua Institution, and POI in Mercatello sul Metauro, Italy. She has been a guest teacher at CLA Berkshires, The Ravinia Festival Steans Institute, McGill University, CCM, Hunter College, Ithaca College, Vassar College, among others. She continues to perform in the US and abroad, and maintains a busy private studio in New York.

Updated January 2024